Copyright (c) 2020 Baptist Press. Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist Convention.
The original story can be found at http://www.bpnews.net/24665/tsunami-victims-say-thank-you-to-southern-baptists

Tsunami victims say ‘thank you’ to Southern Baptists

Weeset, a Thai fisherman, stands with his wife and son at their newly built house on the southern coast of Thailand. Their home is located in Ban Nam Kem, just north of Khao Lak, where more than 5,000 Thais lost their lives in the tsunami. Southern Baptists responded there by building hundreds of boats and houses for tsunami victims.

Before the tsunami, Suthep Salthalduu fished along the shoreline with meager equipment. With his equipment destroyed by the tsunami, Southern Baptist relief workers offered Suthep a new boat, giving him an opportunity to make a living and provide for his family.

Lamal Redson, far left back, with her grandson and family, stands atop a boat washed into her yard by the tsunami. The boat still sits in front of the family’s new house, built by Southern Baptist volunteers. The house is located in Ban Nam Kem, just north of Khao Lak, Thailand, where more than 5,000 Thais lost their lives in the tsunami.

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--It has been nearly two years since an earthquake and a deadly tsunami hit parts of eight Asian nations, including Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Many survivors have tried to move on with their lives, while others are still working to regain normalcy and stability.

There are constant reminders of the day family, friends, homes and businesses were lost. But many survivors have found hope through the Southern Baptist Convention. In a new website launched through the International Mission Board, tsunami victims thank Southern Baptists for helping them rebuild their lives.

The new website features personal “thank yous” from tsunami survivors, video footage of the devastation and rebuilding efforts plus witnesses’ personal accounts of that tragic day.

Many Southern Baptists traveled to South and Southeast Asia volunteering their time. Others offered $16.8 million in financial support to help hundreds of thousands who lost their homes and everything they owned.

“My entire business, my restaurant, everything was gone,” said Weeset, a Thai fisherman. “It took me about a year ... before I finally found help.”

Weeset’s friend told him about the Southern Baptist Convention. It had helped his friend rebuild his house. And through the SBC, Weeset was able to rebuild his beachfront restaurant.

Because of the generosity of Southern Baptists, many victims have been able to start over. New homes have been built, food and clean water have been dispersed and means of making a living restored. As a result, many survivors who were helped have also come to know the Lord.

“There are many organizations that have worked in this area,” said Lamai Redson, who lives in a house built by the Southern Baptist Convention with her family of seven. Redson also said he was impressed that, while some other relief organizations have packed up and left, the SBC is still helping people. “If someone makes mention of the Southern Baptist [Convention], everyone knows of them because they are still here working.”

“They have gained a reputation for not building simple houses, but trying to restore our houses just like they were before the tsunami,” she said.

Suthep Saithaiduu is another tsunami victim who was helped by Southern Baptists. Saithaiduu makes his living as a fisherman; however, he lost all his equipment when the tsunami hit.

“After that day, I went to stay at a temporary community built by the Southern Baptist [Convention],” Saithaiduu said. “During that time they provided our community with 40 boats,” he explained, grateful that he had received one of them for fishing.

You can view these and other messages of gratitude on the IMB tsunami website.

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